(M) Blood Line CH1: The Bloody Arrival OOC&IC a Kris X Siks 1X1 Rp.

[SikstaSlathalin]

In the world of High Magic and Adventure, darkness is in a constant feud with light. Good vs evil is the ultimate in endless conflict. And sadly they often trample those mortal foolish enough to get in their way. This, like many stories before it will show this struggle from the ground level of two individuals, Sabin Togar of the Qamran Tribe and Dire of Blacklake. Sabin Togar, a female Dark Elf from the Qamran Tribe of deadly assassins. She has been sent out into the above world to retrieve an artifact of cosmic power, before the traitorous Black Mages of the New Moon Tribe get their hands on it and wipe out all Dark Elf clans who refuse to follow their tyrannical cult and worship the bloody Goddess of Chaos Detrly.

She will journey many leagues in search of aid. But her kind of thought of as evil and impure to many of the above world races. Cutthroats, thieves, whores for hire, these and many more vile terms are attached to the Dark Elves. So she is met with resistance, hatred, and violence in nearly every village she enters especially by their ancient enemy, the brutish race of Orcs that roam the land. A mutual distrust and general anger dating back thousands of years when it is believed Dark Elves and Orcs stemmed from the same group of outcast Elves thrown from the ancient kingdoms of the Noble Folk. The two races blame the other for getting them expelled from paradise, but not even the oldest of Dark Elf and Orc know this to be true.


Sabin is undaunted in her journey to complete her mission, but she knows she cannot do it alone and her mother, the Chieftess of her Tribe forbade her from asking another Dark Elf for help, she does not know who can be trusted when the New Moon Cult is involved. But she is met with opposition at each turn, that is until she reaches the valley hamlet of Sàmhach it means silence in the ancient tongue and this small village was indeed that, but it was also home to a plethora of races. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Beast people, and many more. If she would find help anywhere it would be here, at least that was her hope. But the people of Sàmhach want nothing to do with adventurers or treasure hunting, they simply wish to be left alone. But along the road she did hear mention of a veteran mercenary living on the outskirts of the town. Hunting for coin and clothing many said he was a reliable and very experienced warrior and adventurer, but as she sought him out she learned a painful truth no one saw fit to mention...he is also an Orc.

Thus she meets Dire of Blacklake. Dire, like many Orc was born into war, his first memories are of fighting for his life against three bears. And from there it has been war, blood, and death, his father was the leader of the Blacklake Guard a mercenary unit comprised entirely of Orcs his name was Grimore and he was also a powerful subclass of Orc warrior he was a Berserker. The most feared units on many battlefields. Unafraid, in a state of near constant bloodrage, and able to break a powerful horse's neck with a single blow.

They were what many Orc aspired to Dire included who was named Krom at the time. He proved himself and earned the bright red tattoos of the Berserkers. He lived for the Blacklake Guard and even found his mate within their ranks a mighty female named Shiga. Together they fought many battles, but disaster struck the mercenary band. A group of mages had struck down and burned the Blacklake encampment to the ground. Many of the bodies couldn't even be identified, so taking on the new names of Dire and Scorn they wandered the land finding those who had escaped the massacre and trying to rebuild the only family they ever knew. They eventually settled in Sàmhach and lived out the rest of their lives, they, and two children they adopted and raised. A boy named Grit went off to be a Merc in his own right and Whisper settled into the life of a Hunter running off with an Ogre to be wild nomads of the land.

Now going on his 350th year of life Scorn has passed on to the next life and Dire simply lives out his days waiting for his own chance to move into the Realm of Shadows and Dreams. But the game of the land are moving on and his livelihood goes with them. So once words comes his way of a woman looking for an experienced merc to help her with a quest he is eager to start, but there is one problem...she's a Dark Elf.

Two natural born rivals thrust together to fight against a conspiracy neither of them are any the wiser too, but with luck, skill, and no small measure of trust they can overcome that which has been set against them.

We begin our tale on the road and before Sabin meets Dire, when she gets sidetracked by an old prisonmate, one Y'gol Skullborne, an Ogre of endless appetite and infamous renown.

[Kris]

The Feeling Begins
(By Peter Gabriel from the album "Passion: The Last Temptation of Christ")

The atmosphere was eerie. Something you may often expect from a funeral… but this one was loaded with mixed feelings and heavy sensation of grief. The open coffin was carried upon three large wooden beams; each side was lifted by one maiden. All of which, six in total, wore silver dresses and wings which they shared with their partner from each side, symbolizing the twin goddesses of the moon.

A Matriarch's passing was not the usual kind of ceremony to go without a matching stunning display. From each cavern opening in the huge space of a "hall", were glassy balconies and from each dark figures gathered to look below them, at where the honorable lady was placed to be observed. A final parting, before she will rejoin the great mother of the earth.

The scenery itself was bewitching; the maidens were circling and moving in slow movements, the silver dresses they wore, shone on their dark bare skin like stars in space and their decoration of wings on their back only added something magical to the whole ritual.

From everywhere reflected millions of eyes, most of which were golden, and only few rare in silver, like candles lit for a mass prayer.

Sabin was among them. She was one of many and one to act for many. She fixed her cape on her head which throw some shade on her silver eyes as she slowly withdrew from the crowd, watching as more squeezed in to take her place.

It was emotional for her, watching the woman she called a "mother" lying to rest so deep below her. So close and yet out of reach, because of ranking and society demands.

But despite the rage, the yarning, the sadness and her love…

She had no choice but to leave…


***


The sudden death of the Matriarch was foreseen, and yet unpredictable. It was her time, and yet it was not. To keep the peace, the death was the reason of ongoing bad condition, but in truth, to the few who were tasked with peace of the "Two moons" tribe, it was a murder.

A silent, sweet, almost unheard… but still one that left a screaming silence and a huge gap to fill…

Sabin was one of the heirs, but she didn't consider herself to be an important one. There were other daughters and sons after all, much mature and wiser to lead. She had only one goal, which was a revenge, and to do so she needed to find the object... the same thing for which her mother had lost her life… it might have been the only thing to help stopping those coming after her and her own clan.

Stepping further and further into the surface, Sabin slowly gained some resistance to the hot surface sun. The wind kissed the grass, as the birds' happy chipper was heard, so pure and sweet on the ears.

Spending most of her years underground made her more sensitive to the light, but the air was a welcomed change. Her lungs acclimatized to the clean breeze and she now found it easier to quicken her pace.

Storming onward, her feet easily made soft trails in the knee-high grasses, hopping into and out of them like a doe. Her breathing was light, measured to some unheard tempo, as she pushed onward with a quick, silent pace.

Her silver eyes were turned in and for all direction, in order to make sure she won't lose a single thing in her march; she was able to take in the sights and sounds around her, enabling her to discover and learn what came to pass here. Which animal pass in, what possible humanoid hunted here. Some tracks of warriors and a small battle.

She was curious, but did not halt to study the finding further, and moved as quickly as a summer rain.

The dark elves served and played part in many great wars, creating awful weaponry, machinery, and toxins, in addition to providing their services as spies and hitmen. They were very passionate about it and were often reminded of their heroes and gods, bravery and battles, and, in particular, that of the famous “Genesis War” between the twin goddesses of the moon.

But even a rich society such as theirs could go astray under the shadows of heart desires. They battled against themselves not once and soon parted into many area of the world. Now it seems a clan among the many, wished to conquer and do wrong…

Or maybe it has been going on for some time now, and only now had they been wise enough to go for bolder moves against her clan.

Reaching for the outskirts of Sàmhach, she stopped, watching a tall and strange figure.

It was an ogre.

[SikstaSlathalin]

The sharp snap of bones and the wet squish of flesh between teeth. Filled the dense forest air the half masticated carcus of a large deer. Hunched over the bloody body was a tall black skinned figure with an animal skull on his head and a pair of large gore covered cleavers leaning against a nearby tree. This is Y'gol Skullborne also known as the King's Killer. Former prisoner, former hunter, former flesh eating beast of the dark forests of the world. Ever since the escape from the frostmire prison the Grizzly Beast has been running free and undaunted through the wilds of the still mostly unexplored Eisgnol Highlands.

It has been a few years since the break out and the beast hasn't eaten the flesh of a sentient being in that whole time. Just deer, boar, and the occasional bear when the two apex predators crossed paths. The meat was juicer and brought less heat with it. He was enjoying the meatiest part of the deer's shoulder when he got the scent of a familiar and almost pleasant aroma. He let out deep raspy chuckle then lumbered into the sunlight still holding the deer's bloody leg in his hand. Lifting it to his mouth he took a large ripping chunk out of the thigh before he leaned against a tree studying the Dark Elf woman slowly. And in his slow whispering voice he greeted her.
"Well...well...Sabin Togar...I...never...thought...you...would cross...my path...a-again."

[Kris]

"It is Mutual, 'old friend'. But the goddesses thought otherwise, it seems", Sabin's voice was elegant and inviting. As sarcastic as she was, she still sounded pretty tamed, almost like she was truly meaning what she said.

Her grin was also tricking

It was a wild hunt of some years ago. The dark Elves were usually very natural by nature, so obviously this mission had to do with hiring. When requests reaches the Matriarch, it's up to her to decide if a mission should be taken or not, or if not her, it will be the council decision.

The mission seemed to be self justified, and the gold was not bad either. Stopping such terrible hulk, while earning few shining seemed like a good ruling. Obviously no one thought that joining the Frostmire's crusaders would bring more harm than good. Few small towns were ruined while they had at it and at the end the giant was able to escape...

"She is better now, Galita der Sar I mean...", said Sabin, the smile fading from her face.

It was a nasty last resort. While there were only few dark elves in the team followed by other kins of mortals and some varieties of other elves, the one who were able to catch up and corner him was herself and Galita, another female dark elf, but the two eventually lost, as Y'gol had the upper hand, and by giving Sabin a choice on her friend's life, he was able to flee, sparing the life of Galita in the process.

Sabin honored her promise to let him go... but she didn't expect the brute to be able to stay hidden all those years.

No real big chase was done afterward, because no major damage was reported and many assumed the Ogre might have found his end somewhere.

"Why are you here, Y'gol of Skullborne?", she asked, moving slowly around him, carefully studying his moves.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Y'gol let out a deep amused chuckle as the Elf began to circle around him. She was very quick and quite deadly with her weapons, but the Ogre wasn't worried. He was built of tougher stuff than the average creature. Years of living in the elements with no shoes or much real clothing has turned the Carnivore's skin into battle tested leather, and his ability to endure many poisons is an inborn ability to all who eat raw flesh.

Lifting the deer to his mouth, his powerful jaws clamped down and snapped the deer's femur like a twig before ripping the entire upper half of the leg off and crunching it down his gullet bones and all. It has been many years since he thought about his escape from the formally inescapable prison. He and a few other inmates staged a coup breaking free of their shackles and took the prison by force. Oh did Buckblood feast that day, he was placed in the front of the mob and simply tore through the ranks of the guard slashing through them, but taking quick deadly bites of whoever got in his way. It was like the good old days for him, and because of the extra emotion nullifying magic that was placed in his collar he was able to do something he had never been able to do before. Remain level-headed and focused on escaping, before Frostmire he would've been lost in the heat of battle and simply killed everyone both in front of him and behind.

That was not the case and it may have been what truly freed him. Sabin and a few other had been hired by the warden when they recovered from the first wave of attacks. After that it was guerrilla warfare all around the prison and the land surrounding it. Inmates breaking free and escaping to the mainland and guards being reinforced by anyone willing to be a merc. Y'gol ate so well he almost felt full. And it was the magic in the collar that aided him the most, he had Sabin and Galita on the edge of the abyss, but he just wanted to be left alone so he struck a deal and parleyed the other Dark Elf's life for his freedom. The deal worked and Y'gol was gone before the midnight moon reached it's peak in the sky. That was the last time he dealt with people he didn't kill, ever since he's only been in a battle with any poacher who sees fit to try and drive his meals away. They are mostly humans, and don't taste good enough for the trouble that comes with eating them. After they are killed he takes what valuables he can find he leaves their bodies for the other scavengers.

He could see through her false smiles and words and it made him chuckle all the more. Turning now to face her, he finished the rest of the meat from the deer's leg and was in the process of scooping out the marrow and slurping it down. "Glad...to...hear...of...your...friend." He let out a strange sigh as if he wished he could've feasted on her flesh. As she continued to circle him he locked eyes with her's, a strange glint dancing across his red orbs. "Still...so...on edge...and... nosy." He quickly finished the marrow and began picking his jagged blood soaked teeth with a bone shard. "That...is...why...I...always...liked you...Dark Elves. Bitter tasting...but...your...natural...paranoia. Leaves...such a...memorable...aftertaste." Once he had finished with picking his teeth he crunched the bone down and swallowed it too before rubbing his black gnarled stomach making sure to rattle the fingerbone necklace he now sported. They were trophies from each sentient creature he has killed since his release. Most were human, but a trained eye could spot the heavy claw of a Dragonkin, the short stubby digits of a Dwarf, and the long slender bones of Elves. He was quite proud of them, he studied the Elf as she studied him and shrugged crossing his massive arms over an equally massive chest.

"I...am...simply...living...the life...I lived...before...prison." He motioned to the deer lying on the bloody grass behind Sabin. "The...real...question...is...what...are you...doing here? Dark...Elves...don't...normally...leave...their... dark...halls...and sacred...temples. Unless...it's...for...good...reason." He continued to follow the woman's path around, his bony, whiplike tail rattling gently as the metal spikes jangled in their sockets.

[Kris]

She didn't stop to circle him but she tried her best to give a serene sensation. She didn't want to alarm him unnecessarily, for the last thing she wanted was to fight him in the open with no backup.

Y'gol might have looked like a stupid beast, but he was anything but. In fact, despite lacking the education he was extremely wise and a keen observer. You stay long enough him and he will know how to get under your skin and manipulate you. It was really easy to fall prey to his tricks, after all, he always counted on other to think of him as nothing but a mess of muscles with no brain, and he would strike when least expected.

She often wondered how he was captured to begin with… Speaking of which, it seems that collar that was suppose to bind him was still decorating his neck.

"Spare me, Y'gol", she chose her words carefully. She could have put a fight against him, sure, but it was the last thing she wanted to do now. She had greater worries on her mind. Plus, battling him now was somewhat risky. Many years have passed since their last encounter and unlikely as it was, the bastard might have learned new tricks on the road. She was not ready for surprises yet, "You don't expect me to believe you just playing it safe, while there is a local human town not far from here…"

She hissed, "But unlike you, I plan to answer your inquiry", she shoot back, "I am seeking revenge. For the matriarch", she said slowly, "Y'gol, I will ask again, why are you here? I gave you my word, and spared your life, and you stayed away from civilized roads for many years. And yet you are so bold as to appear now?"

[SikstaSlathalin]

Y'gol sighed and growled gently straightening up, but keeps his arms crossed over his chest.
"You...mean...Sàmhach? It...is...far...from...a concern...for...me. So...little...worth...eating." Growing bored with the woman circling him the Ogre moved slowly back to the deer carcus deciding which part to enjoy next. He liked to take his time with his meals, savor them. Usually he eats the limbs first, then goes to work on the innards and torso. The deer still had one leg left, but one leg made it easier to carry his kill to his den up north.

Hmming softly he reached into the deer's body and yanked out it's bloody heart. Lifting it to his lips he bit down small spurts of blood shooting out across the grass. " Hmm...revenge...for...your...Chieftain? How...very...human...of...you." He let out another chuckle slurping the blood from the beast's heart before going back to enjoying the gooey meat. "I...am...not...lying...about...my reason...for...being...here, but...you are...partially...right...in...your suspicion." He finished the heart and licked more blood from his hands. "I...normally...stay...far to...the north. Up...in...the...pine...barrens...away...from Sàmhach...and...it's neighboring...towns. But...something...has...unbalanced...the wildlife. Meat...isn't...plentiful...not...even...birds...ro ost...in the...lonely pines...anymore. In...my...experience...that...means...poachers...t hey are...making...me go...hungry. And...that...isn't good...for...those...cute...little...mountain...vi llages." He licked his bloody lips fiddling with his bone necklace again. Then his hand dropped and he let out another deep chuckle as an idea struck his beastly brain. "Maybe...you...can...help...them. I'm hunting...the poachers...now. I...tracked...them to...a...small...abandoned...fort...by the...river. High Elf...archers...all...men. I...can...kill...them, but...they...are...aware...of...my presence." He smiled evilly showing Sabin the two newest fingers on the left of his necklace. "I...can't...approach...the...gates...without...be ing...fired...upon." He slowly walked up to her, his sheer size dwarfing the woman, his eye glowed red through his skull helmet. They roamed down her shapely female body resting for a few long seconds on her chest and hips. "But...an attractive...woman, especially...one of...a...race...known...for...promiscuity...could. " His eyes moved up and down her body again before he lumbered back to his kill smiling still. "You...get them...to...let...you...in...put...on a...good show...then...once...their...guard...is down simply...open...the gate...for me...and...slip...out...in...the chaos." He pointed in the direction of Sàmhach. "Do...this...and...you will...save...many...innocent...lives." He chuckled now making a crushing motion with his hand. "If...you...don't...though...well...a body...needs...to...eat...something."

[Kris]

Sabin sheathed her twin daggers, the blades carefully sliding by each side, echoing in soft metallic sound, as they were brought inside each side of her belt.

She stopped moving and turned to pace backward a little. She soon dropped to the ground, her legs crossed as she considered his words. She was still alerted but allowed herself to calm down a bit; his aura was not projecting any malice and the way he crossed his hands over his chest indicated he was not aiming for an attack. Not now, anyway.

She was still furious with him about what happened long ago. After all he was a hunt which fled her in an dignify way. She too had to kill him instead of choosing her friend, but she couldn't.

Very human of her indeed.

She always been a bit odd ball in that regard.

The council was not happy with her decision of sparing the hulk, but alone in four walls, the Matriarch praised her for her action. She told her that she made the right decision. Even Galita thanked her... But the facts remained the same. She let the one she chased get the better hand.

No one could truly fault her though. It was so easy to fell prey to Y'gol's mind tricks. The bastard knew exactly which buttons to press and how to lead others to do his biddings. Even with Sabin, who let very few people get close to her, he was able to read her like an open book.

And even gazed at her as though she was one (yes, his leering eyes movement has not gone unnoticed. It was not a bother per so, in fact it was flattering, but at the same time Sabin was surprised to see his kind finding attractive points in another race which he had no problem devouring... Then again... it was probably a tease from his side... and it could be some kind of kink too)

While thinking she used a branch to draw lines with, and she slowly made figures in the mud around her. They were symbol which indicated on group of Elves. She then started to considered the information brought to her by the Ogre. The elves were clearly not dark ones, as he would have called them so if they were. It still was a mystery what race of Elves they were, as the term "high elves" was very broad and used too freely. Since they hunt and use the forest she wanted to consider them as wood elves, but they could have easily been just city elves growing rogue.

If those elves been around and hunting it meant that they had plans for long term activities. Could be harmful big attack... Could be a coup against Sàmhach? Could they be connected to the men that killed her mother?

Now... They were all males... which meant they were all taking part in some militia plans, but unorganized in Clan's order.

The situation sounded very tricky.

Sabin knew that penetrating their lair might prove too much of a task, even if she used her womanly assesses (As suggested by the Ogre). Not because she was unattractive, in fact Sabin knew she was some kind of a rare beauty. No this was not it. It was because of the way those elves were organized, which meant that playing it the normal way, will not work. They were most likely ready for any unexpected anomaly, even if it was a naked lone elven girl lost in the forest.

But she had no reason to worry too much. Y'gol's information was more than enough for her to form an idea.

After drawing enough lines in the sand she got up and dusted herself, "Yes... Very human of me", she chuckled softly, "How sad that not all of us are blessed with emotional balancing necklace, dear friend".

Her lips gently curved into a seductive smile as she said those words. If he was free to say what he wanted on her body, she sure as hell was gonna pick on him back, "Alas, the goddesses blessed me, and I'm thankful you have giving me time to collect myself", she said to Y'gol by doing a hand gesture which meant both pleading and "thank you".

She really wasn't that thankful, but the manners forced her otherwise.

She then looked at the sky, "In five nights the dark moon goddess will battle the white moon goddess and win.", Sabin meant the "moonless" time of the month, "And I, like the white lady, shall be back right after, and answers I will bring. They will either be news which pleases you, or blades which will be directed at you". Sabin meant that she will either solve the elven issue in 5 days, or that she will be forced to fight Y'gol, as there was no way that she could have allowed him to do as he pleased. She was natural, true, but Y'gol was her mistake and burden and she needed to make sure it was not a grave error on her part...

But truth be told... she just cared too much for the lives of the living...

"I will head to Sàmhach. I suspect that I may learn more there. By the comfort of the tavern, many lost souls wandered by night. I believe your problem may be shared with others...", Sabin nodded to herself. She might learn more of the situation in town, "We will meet here again in five days. But until then I need your word of an oath. You will stay away of the main road and take the beast's carcass with you...", Her silver orbs shone brightly as she gazed into his red eyes, "Will I have your word?"

[SikstaSlathalin]

Y'gol growled softly as Sabin began to doodle in the mud and babble on about her inane deities. The only Gods an Ogre knows are the Gods of Life and Death and neither cared a whit about the worms they crush in their endless chess game. There is never a winner only the pawns that last the longest and The King's Killer has lasted for many years defying each move against him. The most powerful predators are always the ones smart enough to dodge the hunter's arrow and quick enough to kill what needed to be killed and eating his fill before vanishing back into the forest.

The Carnivore let out an almost weary sigh at the woman's roundabout speech. But he found himself chuckling as she took a jab at the effects of the necklace his large gnarled hand coming up to jingle the many bones.
"Be...thankful...for it. Or..I...would...have...devoured you...by...now...or...find...out...what exactly...you...will...be...giving the...hunters." It was rare he had sexual desires, Ogres are more driven by hunger than desire, but they must breed somehow and that cannot come without some sex drive. And it is rumored Dark Elves can take nearly all sizes and species to their beds.

As the woman spelled out her plan Buckblood chuckled in agreement but held up two fingers.
"So...be...it. You...have...my...word that...I...will...not...stray...far...from...my den. But...you...only...have...two days. This...kill...will...sustain...me...for...that...l ong, but...no...longer... the...poachers...have...driven...my...game...away. Only...bite-sized...things...remain." He moved to the deer and hefted it onto his broad shoulders adjusting the kill to a more comfortable position. " Two days...Sabin...that is...all the...time...you...have. Or...I..will...seek...my...food...within...the...h omes...of...Sàmhach. " He began moving though the trees for a steep hill and an old game trail. "Best...buy...yourself...a...harlot's...bodice...a nd...skirt...these...Elves...may...not...have...se en...a...woman...in...many...months. But...one...in...the...armor...of...an...assassin. ..will...only...make...them...shoot...first...and. ..ask questions...later." He held up his two fingers once again for emphasis before he began to quickly climb the cliff face using only his one hand, his clawed feet, and tail.

[Kris]

"Spare me your fantasies; I still have time to act, no?", Sabin said, this time unable to contain her rage. She took a moment to collect herself, shuddering herself from his comments, "Speaking of time, we will settle at three days. This is not up to negotiation, DEAR FRIEND", her eyes shone just like his, "With that I will take my leave then. I will see you soon."

***

Let's talk about the issue of desires and lust among the kin of the elven people. It's not a secret most of them are very associated with the idea of beauty and vanity. They even openly declare it or show such manners when they present themselves, clearly avoiding the idea of grotesque and barbarism.

But in truth, everything regarding to the idea of passion is mostly suppressed. And before you ask, unlike what most people want to believe they do not lack a sex drive, it's just culturally been channeled on the other idea of lust, which is war, meaning that they will not outright show feelings, but will have no trouble bragging about the idea of battles or ravish in the thought of combat.

If one is familiar with the elves, they will know how talented they are with art and songs, and although they have many courtship poems, the culture is so strict that often such lyrics remain as such, words and not action. Even the women are held to the same standards, and the fact they live for such long years, they consider dawdling as childish behavior, making them act in brutal, cold, and very secretive manner.

They are so suppressed by the standards and manners that they will have no trouble finding the idea of abducting and raping someone from another race, like humans, as acceptable, for it will be connected with the idea of "war". (And even that behavior will often only happen with elves living on the wild, far from the rules of organized clans and family tribes).

Love reserved only to mates after proper ceremony was made and any open gestures of love are rather not be shown in public. It will be seen as weakness otherwise. This probably was the source of rumors on elven males being poor in bed, or even being bad lovers. (Sabin knew better as she enjoyed passionate nights with more than one elven kin from different clans, but that's going a bit off topic here).

This information was brought to explain why she decided against Y'gol "helpful" advices of her dressing in sultry cloths and simply bringing herself to the elves like a well dressed main course dinner.

This was not the way to approach these types of men as they were far too suspicious for their own good. Elves are too naturally wary of such act, mainly if it comes from a fellow elven woman, known for a race that is often hired for such works (And besides, heading to get herself attire would just waste time, and she was already spending the first day walking).

Yet, Y'gol's advice wasn’t completely off the mark. They were all still males, and things change when you are part of a civilized group. Sabin also had the benefit of being of another kin. So… There was still an option for a foul play. Not in an openly deceiving one, but going around it will do the trick.

How you ask?

Simple.

While they may not lose their pants around a lady too quickly, they will not refuse the hunt which they cherished so much. If she presented herself as a weaker individual she would be able to play on the greatest desire of most of the elven race, which is toying with war loot.

There were marks of people around. Empty bottles, foot prints, shattered arrows, skulls of animals and some coins.

They were nearby.

She continued to walk further and further into the forest. As Y'gol said, there were indeed hardly any games around. Aside of soft echoes of birds' screeches, and water creatures, she found no traces of animals.

Soon though, she felt other presences around her. Not beasts, but humanoid. They followed her movements from cover. She found them at last.

Heeding the advice of the Ogre she removed her gear, hiding her armor and weapons not far, looking like a small humble target, wearing only a light gown, which color nearly blend with her skin tune and a cap hiding her hair and face.

TWTANG

Someone was pulling a string.

She halted.

"AITZRI MIIAD!", called a voice behind her and she obeyed the command which called her to stop.

They soon leaped from behind her, while some remained closed by the nearest tree husks. She could sense them all, even those hidden.

"Well, well, well", someone paced behind her taking a full circle before approaching her, "What do we have here?", his voice was unpleasant: Rough and edgy, rolling with the syllable. He had many scars on his face and neck, and one his ears was missing the "edge" and had a horrible nasty burn craves around it. He had simple cloths under an armor which was composed from many sets from different countries and places, making the set look like an ugly blanket patched from stitches from different materials. He still walked proudly while wearing them, probably small tokens he took from all the men he fought with. She had to suppress a chuckle as she recalled of Y'gol and his fingers necklace. What was it with wild men and their accessories of "trophies"?

He lifted his head to both sides and before long four archers were around her, pointing bolts to her neck, a gesture to threaten her to not try anything funny.

Sabin was unbothered by this, but played her part perfectly.

The elf then moved closer and removed her cape, grabbing her chin in his hand and lifting her head to meet his eyes, "Dark one huh?", he said while scanning her, "What are you doing here?"

Sabin narrowed her eyes, "You know of my kin", she said softly, "I cannot reveal my mission to you".

"Hump", he said as a grin curved on his lips, "Yes. We know of you. Filthy kin, giving us pure elves such a bad reputation, because of you they think they can just do as they please with us. I'll ask you again, what are you doing here?"

Sabin moved her head away, freeing herself from his grip.

The elves were itchy to shoot but the elf simply nodded his head, urging them to relax, "Cheeky, are you not? I'm curious, dark one. You are not armed, but it can't be a coincidence… Someone could have sent you here… But who, I wonder? There are just too many options sadly…"

She stayed silent.

'Hmmm. Of course, it could be that we are simply hindering another mission of yours. One that will not require armor… or maybe cloths?", he laughed and the other laughed with him.

Sabin did not bite back.

"Ah, you are not fun", he nodded with displeasure, "Very well. Since I cannot be sure of your deeds here, you will simply have to come with us, follow me".

"But Yaorlan!", said one of the archers, "Shouldn't we bound her first?"

"Fool", said the elf, his maimed ear twitching, "A dark kin here? above ground? And she just so happen to walk here careless with no weapon and armor? If she struggled she should have done it by now", he looked at Sabin with a grin, "But truth be told, your kin would not be that careless to be captive like this in such manner… unless you wanted to be..."

Shit. Sabin didn't expect her act of poor wondering soul to work greatly, but it looked like the elf was more familiar with the dark elves than what she expected any of the group members to be.

He grinned again and as if reading her mind he added, "You will follow, aye?"

Sabin swallowed and nodded.

"Good, now start marching, all of you".

She started to walk after them, and after the sun reach the boarder in the horizon the group finally reached their destination, a wooden building of sort, clumsy and lacking style. But it was sturdy, capable of holding a good siege, and had high position of arrow shooting. They were prepared for, or preparing for something big.

"Come", said Yaorlan, "There is someone you need to meet. Maybe they will make you sing"